What happened to my habitat?

An investigation into the habitat destruction of Narragansett Bay

State Standards
RI GSE LS2 (9-11)

Context of Lesson
This is the third lesson in a unit of human impact on Narragansett Bay. Student should have an idea of what organisms the bay contains and how humans can influence them through the introduction of invasive species. This lesson investigates other human activities that might impact the bay.

Opportunities to Learn
Depth of Knowledge

• Identify sources of habitat destruction
• Illustrate a particular source of habitat destruction
• Hypothesize how these sources effect the habitats of the bay

Prerequisite Knowledge

• Basic understanding different species living in the bay and what habitats that they live in (Lessons 1 and 2)
• They should also have an understanding of how humans impact the bay and can alter the ecosystem through invasive species. (Lesson 2)

Plans for Differentiating Instruction
Process: Differentiated instructional methods

• Inquiry Based Learning: Use of inquiry based learning will help create a student centered learning experience. Students work at their own pace and investigate a particular species. Through their investigations and research, they will come up with information that they find relevant.
• Cooperative Learning: Use of cooperative learning will help students by allowing the group to investigate individual species and coming together as a whole to make meaning of a larger concept (the class food web).

Product: Differentiated Assessment

• Those that are technologically advanced can create a website, whereas those that are struggling with technology can create a poster. Use of visual, linguistic, logical, spatial, interpersonal as well as naturalistic intelligences can all be incorporated into final produce. Poster and website should contain similar pieces of information, but presented in a different format.

Accommodations and modifications

• Student A: Accommodation needed for writing skills and comprehension of directions. Rubric will be provided in order provide explicit instructions, as well as verbal directions to check for understanding. Accommodation can be offered to all students.
• Technology can be used to enhance learning, though option for non-technology related project in case technology too advanced for some students.
• Other accommodations or modifications will be made according to IEP protocol.

Environmental factors

• Research and presentations are taking place in the classroom.
• Laptops will be provided for students.
• Students to work in groups of 2 or 3

Materials

• Laptops/printer
• various research materials
• poster board
• markers
• colored pencils
• scissors
• glue

Objectives
Students will be able to...

• Describe at least three human activities that impact the environment around them.
• Predict how the habitat lost in the bay might have an impact on the organisms that are living there.

Instruction
Opening
Question

• How would you feel if the town told you that you suddenly couldn't live in your home because they were going to take it from you to build a new shopping mall? How would this make you feel? How would this affect your life? Where would you live?
• Sharing: Ask students to share their answers. Would any of them have a place to go, would some of them not?

Segue

• Today we are going to take about habitat destruction in Narragansett Bay. A lot of times humans modify their environment at the expense of the organisms living around them.
• It is important to understand how human activity impacts the world around it because we can cause dramatic changes such as fish kills, pollution, causing species to go extinct, etc.
• Today we will:
  • Examine different ways that humans impact the environment
  • Create a visual presentation of how each human activity impacts the environment
  • Share what we have learned

Engagement
Introduction

• Advise students that they have been selected to research a particular human activity and determine its impact on the environment around them.
• Students can work in groups of 2 or 3. Should have at least 12 groups.
• Activities to be investigated
  • Forestry
  • Industrial Development
  • Alterations to Natural Water Flow and Shorelines
  • Agriculture (Livestock/Crops)
  • Shipping
  • Urban Development
  • Residential Development
  • Dredging
  • Fishing
  • Invasive Species (optional as invasive species already discussed)
• Students can use the resources found at jhscienceed.wikispaces.com

Student Research

• Students will create website/poster of their particular human activity.
• Poster should discuss the following
  • Description of the activity
  • How it is a problem?
  • Where it is a problem?
  • How does this impact the bay?
  • Does it impact any specific organisms, habitats?

Student Presentations

• Students will present their activity poster/website to the class.

Closure

• Review each of the activities in a power point presentation.
• Comment on what the students discovered themselves and check to see if they understand.

Assessment
Human Activity Impact Project

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